Databases and spreadsheets have a range of helpful functions, but also some drawbacks to consider.
Use a database if…
- You have a large amount of information that would become unmanageable in spreadsheet form and is related to a particular subject
- You want to maintain records for ongoing use
- The information is subject to many changes
- You want to generate reports from the information
Use a spreadsheet if…
- You want to ‘crunch numbers’ and perform automatic calculations
- You want to track a simple list of data
- You want to easily create charts and graphs from your data
- You want to create ‘what-if’ scenarios1
If your spreadsheet exceeds 20 columns or 100 rows, you are probably better off using a database.
| Spreadsheets | Databases | |
|---|---|---|
| Pros | – Quick to set up – Easy to use – Flexible – Inexpensive – Automatically recalculate formulas – You can easily produce stylish charts and graphs – You can produce tables of summarised data (‘pivot tables’) – Sorting and filtering – Cell formatting | – Provide data integrity – Much more powerful and manageable when handling large amounts of information – Reduce duplication – Minimise irregularities – Easier for more than one person to access the file at once – Good for long-term storage of records that are subject to changes – Large storage capacity – Database and reporting features are separate – this means you can generate multiple reports from the same data (ask it lots of questions) – You can ask questions of the data (‘querying’) and pull the information into a formatted report – Can contain text or numbers – Can provide complex reports |
| Cons | – Not ideal for long-term data storage – Only offer simple query options – Don’t guard data integrity – Offer little or no protection from data corruption – Can make some links between different pieces of information but it’s limited. – Can add text but limited characters in each cell | – Needs a moderate to high level of skills to set up, use and maintain – More rigid – not as easy to make structural changes once the database is set up – Not usually as intuitive as a spreadsheet |
Databases can be created using software packages such as Microsoft Access; they can be purchased off-the-shelf or they can be developed through ‘open source platforms’ or ‘cloud computing’. But remember that although ‘open source platforms’ sound like they’re free, they’re not always.